The Hardest Part Is Letting Go
by KrystalBlaze - Jerikor
Summary: *Chapter 3 Up* A bounty hunter is murdering politicians without a cause. When the Supreme Chancellor appeals to the Jedi for help, they divise a plot: one of them of infiltrate the ranks of the bounty hunters. The Jedi turns out to be Obi-Wan...
1. Part One to Two

THE HARDEST PART IS LETTING GO  
  
Author: KrystalBlaze  
  
Title: The Hardest Part is Letting Go  
  
Age: 21  
  
Summary: Senators and Ambassadors are being murdered without a cause. It has to be a bounty hunter. Desperate, the Supreme Chancellor appeals to the Jedi for help. The Jedi devise a plan: one of them must infiltrate the ranks of the bounty hunters. The Jedi turns out to be Obi-Wan.  
  
/ / = italics  
  
PROLOUGE  
  
"Ambassador Kraal from Tarmareek has been murdered, Supreme Chancellor."  
  
The Supreme Chancellor had been sitting at his desk, writing busily on a pad of paper, but as his assistant spoke the words, he jerked his head up. Shock registered on his face as he rose to his feet, the task he had been working on forgotten.  
  
"Supreme Chancellor Valorum that is the seventh ambassador to be murdered this year."  
  
"I am aware of the fact, Mehemta." Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum just looked at his aide, and then sighed. He went to the window wall, and looked down at the Coruscant sky. Even now, at the early hour, it was busy with traffic. "What happened?"  
  
"The details are not known to me at this moment, Supreme Chancellor. We just received word. Apparently, Ambassador Kraal was at a party last night in a club and did not come home. When the maid came into the room he had in the hotel, she found him dead. I do not know the cause of death."  
  
Valorum stared out the window, contemplating what Mehemta had said. Mehemta let herself slide into a chair, waiting. The Supreme Chancellor would think, and then order her to do something. It was the routine when something happened, and she didn't expect him to break it.  
  
Finally, after a small amount of time, Valorum said," Mehemta, seven ambassadors have been murdered. Six senators have been murdered. These ambassadors and senators are in no ways linked. We have exhausted our resources trying to connect these murders, but after this long it is clear there is no connection. The person murdering these politicians is a bounty hunter."  
  
Mehemta stayed silent, waiting.  
  
"I am sure it is a bounty hunter," Valorum said again, as if to convince himself. "He has succeeded capture and knowledge of the deaths for eight months. There is never any evidence." Now he was just thinking aloud. "The security force cannot handle this. They haven't been able to handle it for the last eight months."  
  
Valorum looked out the window again, and, far away, he saw the Jedi Temple.  
  
"We need the Jedi on this."  
  
~*~  
  
PART ONE  
  
TEAR IT APART  
  
"Master, I assure you, I am fine!"  
  
Obi-Wan limped down the corridor of the Temple towards the quarters he shared with his Master. Qui-Gon hovered on his side, looking down at Obi- Wan's ankle in amusement.  
  
"I am not worried if you are fine. I know you can handle that. I'm worried about how long it'll take to walk down the hall."  
  
Obi-Wan gave Qui-Gon a look.  
  
"Master, may I remind you I wouldn't have a broken ankle if we hadn't taken that boy along."  
  
"Obi-Wan, that "boy" saved our lives."  
  
"He also gave me a broken ankle, Master."  
  
They reached their room. "It was healed in a bath of bacta. I don't know why you're complaining. It could have been worst."  
  
"I apologize for complaining, Master. But he pushed me. It wasn't entirely my fault."  
  
"I see." They entered the room. "Someday, Padawan, you may learn to appreciate pain. Pain is a humble reminder we Jedi are not all powerful, even with our healing techniques. Meditate on the injury so that it will heal faster."  
  
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan obediently went to his room and kneeled, keeping weight off his injured ankle.  
  
The last mission hadn't been that hard, really. They had been sent to the planet Nyodine as Guardians of the Peace. The mission had gone simply. They had merely acted as diplomats and soon the problem was resolved. But as they prepared to go, another rebel force challenging the monarchy opened fire on them in hopes to capture one of them and ransom them.  
  
The rebels apparently did not know the Jedi. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had quickly defeated the force, but along as they fought on the docking bay a young boy was found hiding near a box. Qui-Gon had saved him from the spot and took him with him as he blocked blaster shots. Obi-Wan had taken the boy at Qui-Gon's orders and was leading him to safety when out of nowhere the boy pushed him down a ravine near the bay. Obi-Wan had tumbled down, his ankle twisting in a crevice and snapping as the rest of his body fell.  
  
Obi-Wan wasn't able to move for a while because of the awkward position he was in, but soon Qui-Gon found him and set him free. Qui-Gon helped Obi-Wan hop up the ravine and to the transport. Qui-Gon told him how the rebels had surrender and how they had been taken into custody. The Jedi Master called on the Council and they advised them to return home.  
  
"What about the boy?" Obi-Wan had asked, his teeth gritted in pain.  
  
At that Qui-Gon laughed but also gave his apprentice a stern look. "The boy saw a rebel about to fire on you. He pushed you out of the way and ran to get me. By that time the Nyodine security force took him and the boy's mother found him. He's a very smart child." He helped Obi-Wan lay on a sleeping couch. "Padawan, what did you do wrong?"  
  
Miserable at failing Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan said, "I wasn't connecting with the Force, Master."  
  
And with that, Qui-Gon sent Obi-Wan into a Force induced sleep and they started for home.  
  
/Not dignified at all,/ Obi-Wan thought sourly as he arose from his meditation.  
  
As he went into the living space, Qui-Gon tossed him his robe.  
  
"The Council wishes to see us."  
  
~*~  
  
"And this bounty hunter. you have no idea to his identity at all?" Qui-Gon posed the question to the Council.  
  
"We do not," Mace Windu said. "You and your Padawan have been enlisted by the Supreme Chancellor himself. We've chosen you because of your skills in the field. Do you accept this mission?"  
  
"We do," Qui-Gon said immediately.  
  
Mace nodded and looked at Obi-Wan. "How is your ankle, Padawan Kenobi? Are you ready to be running about?"  
  
Obi-Wan thought about that. He still had some pain and was limping a little, but yes, he could manage. "Yes, Master, I am."  
  
"Good. Report to Chancellor Valorum's office as soon as possible. He would like to brief you."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"May the Force be with you," Mace said.  
  
~*~  
  
"Master, I'm confused. They cannot find a link between those who have been murdered. Why do they need us?"  
  
"Apparently the Coruscant security force cannot find any clues at all. I don't know what they expect us to do. Maybe they gained a bit of evidence and we'll work our way from there. I'm not sure. Whatever happens, happens, Obi-Wan. We can't anticipate the future any more than we can change the past. What we have is now."  
  
Obi-Wan just looked at his Master. "Master, do you always have to turn everything into a lesson?"  
  
Qui-Gon just turned around while walking and stared at Obi-Wan, smiling. It was all the answer Obi-Wan needed.  
  
They reached the Senate Building. Obi-Wan paused at the door. He glanced around uneasily, finally pushing it open.  
  
"What was it?"  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, completely halting. They were in a busy hallway, and a human male practically shoved him into a wall as he hurried by. Still, the Padawan's eyes did not open and he stood where he had been shoved, still lost in whatever he was seeing.  
  
Qui-Gon was puzzled, and reached out through the Force. He twisted in its many arms and finally found what must be bothering his Padawan- a slight, dark ripple in the Force. He looked to Obi-Wan, and was startled to find him still deep in concentration. What could be bugging him so?  
  
Suddenly, Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open and he started walking towards the entrance. and then he walked /through it/. Qui-Gon ran to catch up with him.  
  
"Obi-Wan!"  
  
"Master, something is going to happen!" Obi-Wan began to run, and Qui-Gon sprinted to catch up with him. "Someone is going to do something!"  
  
Qui-Gon was just confused by the words. He had no choice but to follow his Padawan as he raced across the Senate bridge and started down a street clustered with hotels and restaurants.  
  
Obi-Wan led him down the street and down an alleyway to another street and started across another bridge. It led him to a district cluttered with bars and clubs, deserted in the daytime. He stopped, looked around quickly, and then started walking towards a bar which barred no name and no front door. Inside was a male human serving another being something.  
  
Qui-Gon caught up. "Padawan, what did you feel?" He caught his breath.  
  
"Master, look."  
  
The Jedi Master looked into the window of the tattered bar and saw the two beings. He looked and saw Obi-Wan staring intently at them. "I don't see anything out the ordinary, Obi-Wan." He was getting worried now.  
  
"I think he may be the bounty hunter," Obi-Wan said quietly.  
  
"And what told you this?"  
  
"The Force, Master. It's a feeling."  
  
Qui-Gon sighed. "We're late for our meeting with the Chancellor anyway. He was expecting us fifteen minutes ago. At least now we'll tell him we were working."  
  
"I suggest we follow him."  
  
Qui-Gon thought about that. "I don't want to confront him yet. I'll head back to the Senate building. You follow our friend here. Do not confront him!" Qui-Gon added in a bark, all ready knowing what his Padawan was planning. "Go inside, have a drink maybe. Exchange some words. Do not openly accuse him!"  
  
"Master, I'm smarter than that," Obi-Wan complained. "I'll meet you back at the Temple, than?"  
  
"All right. Be careful, Obi-Wan. If he runs, follow him. May the Force be with you."  
  
"May the Force be with you, Master," his twenty-one-year-old apprentice said, striding down the street towards the bar.  
  
Qui-Gon made sure he was safely in the bar, and then turned away.  
  
~*~  
  
"I do not appreciate tardiness, Master Jedi," Chancellor Valorum said irritably as he motioned Qui-Gon to a seat.  
  
"Supreme Chancellor, I have a reason for my tardiness," Qui-Gon said calmly. "As we were coming here, my apprentice picked up a disturbance in the Force. We followed it and found a man who we believed to be the bounty hunter responsible for this."  
  
That changed Valorum's attitude completely. He leaned forwards on his desk, his finger clasped tightly. "And what happened?" he asked in a whisper.  
  
"I left my apprentice there to follow him."  
  
Valorum snorted at the news. "You didn't apprehend him? I do not want him as a menace! What if he gets away?"  
  
"He will not get away, Chancellor. You have my word."  
  
"And your "apprentice"? You have this much faith in him?" Valorum's voice showed how displeased he was at the news.  
  
"Chancellor, I trust my Padawan with my life. He will not let me down," Qui- Gon, starting to get irritated. "If he follows him, then we'll find who he is working for. There has to be a motive behind him."  
  
The Chancellor stood up. Qui-Gon followed suite. "I want someone else there with your apprentice," he said sharply. "I'm sending over some of the security force."  
  
"I strongly advise against that, Chancellor. It could ruin what we're working for. Do you plan to capture him? He will not talk if we do."  
  
Valorum paused and looked at the Master. "I do not want him getting away," Valorum said with a threat in his voice.  
  
"He will not," Qui-Gon assured him.  
  
They took their seats. "Then it's up to your apprentice now," Valorum said.  
  
~*~  
  
Obi-Wan's ankle was hurting. The run had taken a toll on him, but he would never complain to Qui-Gon about it. Besides, it was his own fault he had run. As he stepped into the bar, he was limping heavily, and the bartender raised an eye to him.  
  
He had hidden his lightsaber successfully in a pocket, but as the bartender looked at him he felt oddly naked. Something was going to happen here with the man, but he couldn't put a finger on it. He just felt unnerved. He knew Qui-Gon was worried about him, but now he had to focus on the mission at hand.  
  
He slid into a stool at the bar shakily, trying to act carefree. He was a couple of stools from the man- the bounty hunter. He didn't know why the knowledge was burning at him, but he knew it was true. This man was the bounty hunter who killed without remorse and left no evidence at the scene of the crime. Here was the bounty hunter even the Chancellor was afraid of. Here was the bounty hunter he would have to follow.  
  
/I'm over killing it,/ Obi-Wan thought sourly as the bartender came over.  
  
"What'll you have?" he asked.  
  
"What do you have?" Obi-Wan said after a pause.  
  
"I have whatever you want," the man in a no-nonsense type of voice.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded at this. He shot a glance to what the bounty hunter was having. "I'll have whatever he's having," he said, nodding towards the hunter.  
  
"Whatever," the bartender said and went to get it.  
  
Obi-Wan clasped his hands in front of him, acting casual.  
  
"Good choice."  
  
The Jedi Padawan looked at the bounty hunter. He couldn't believe it. He had been in the bar for just over a minute and all ready the hunter was talking! He looked at the hunter coyly and studied him.  
  
He didn't look like a bounty hunter. His hair was dark, long, and unruly. He was clean-shaven, although there was subtle around his chin, which caused Obi-Wan to wonder if he was just growing or a beard or had no chance to shave. Was he busy, or stressed? His eyes were a dark green color that flamed fire. He wasn't a tall man, just a head taller than Obi-Wan. He was wearing dark clothes, black trousers, a blue tunic and a black cloak.  
  
/He looks like a vagabond,/ Obi-Wan thought without reserve.  
  
"It's Nectarwine," said the hunter, raising his glass to his lips. "In class you're wondering." He took a long drink.  
  
Obi-Wan pretended to be impressed. "You know your drinks," he said easily, taking the glass from the bartender and taking a sip. He could have gagged right there; the drink was so sour. He gritted his teeth and smiled. "Excellent."  
  
"As usual," the hunter said, not even grinning.  
  
"And so who are you?"  
  
"Who am I?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The hunter was silent for a minute, and then spoke. "I am nothing of concern to you."  
  
Obi-Wan bit his lip. He had to get something out of the man. "Well, that's nice. My name is Xancar. I'm a smuggler."  
  
The hunter gave him a once over, taking in his eyes and face. "You don't look like a smuggler."  
  
Obi-Wan felt a chill stalk his spine for some reason. "Well, looks can be deceiving." He took another sip of the drink.  
  
At that, the hunter gave him his full glare. He was stunned at the power his eyes portrayed. "Yes, they can," the hunter said, almost to himself. "Of all things that cannot be projected, it is looks."  
  
Obi-Wan had to keep him talking. "You seem to know a great deal on this."  
  
The hunter smiled thinly. "Perhaps I do." He drained his drink and slapped from credits on the counter. "Farewell," he said shortly. He quickly strode out of the door and disappeared from view.  
  
Obi-Wan waited a few minutes, gave the bartender some credits, and quickly set out after the hunter.  
  
~*~  
  
PART TWO  
  
FIGHT AGAINST THE FIRE  
  
The bounty hunter wasn't walking too quickly; in fact, he was strolling down the street, heading towards a destination only he knew. Obi-Wan watched him walk down the street until he was almost to the end, and then came out of the bar. He walked at a casual stroll, all the while watching.  
  
When the hunter turned down an alley, he sprinted after him until he was a meter from the alley. He slowed, and then turned into it.  
  
The Force warned him a second before the blaster bolt sailed over his head. He dropped and rolled, his lightsaber all ready igniting. He shot his gaze around, seeing a black shape hurtling at him. He fell to his back, the black shape following him down.  
  
He saw a flash of green eyes and knew it was the hunter. He gritted his teeth and rolled on top of the man, his ankle jolting in pain. He ignored it and dug his knee into the man's stomach, pinning him beneath him. He was greeted by a blaster slamming into his jaw.  
  
Obi-Wan collapsed off the man in pain, his head spinning. He blinked rapidly and suddenly felt the pull of rope around his neck. He gagged, the rope jerking him to his feet. The rope tightened and he was pressed back into the hunter's stomach.  
  
Obi-Wan struggled against the rope. His lightsaber had fallen from his hand to about five feet in front of him. He freed one arm from the hunter's grip and called the saber to him, slashing at the hunter's arm. He heard the sizzle of his weapon hitting flesh and he was released from the grip. He fell to his knees, quickly rolling to his feet.  
  
The Force warned him to move, and he did, but the bolt grazed his stomach. He gritted his teeth and rushed to the man, who was retreating into the alley. He somersaulted through the air and ended up on the other side of the man, who lashed out with a vibro-blade, barely missing the Jedi.  
  
The hunter had not been prepared to attack him, Obi-Wan knew, and that scared him. The hunter was throwing him for a loop, and he hadn't been prepared. What would have happened if he had been prepared?  
  
The hunter seemed to have the same thought, because he turned and started to run.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't like this at all. Why was he running?  
  
As Obi-Wan raced out of the alley, he realized why.  
  
There were four human males waiting for him as he sprinted out.  
  
~*~  
  
Qui-Gon returned to the Temple shortly after his meeting with Chancellor Valorum. He was slightly angry that Valorum didn't trust Obi-Wan, but then again, the man had never met his Padawan. He wouldn't know how headstrong and trustworthy Obi-Wan truly was. For a moment he allowed himself to feel a stab of pride, but he dismissed the feeling. It wasn't becoming a Jedi.  
  
He hoped to find Obi-Wan in their quarters, but of course, his apprentice wasn't back yet. He sighed, and saw that the comm unit on the wall was blinking, showing he had message. He pressed the button and was greeted by Master Windu's voice.  
  
"Qui-Gon, your Padawan is in the medical ward-" Qui-Gon's heart stopped right there, but Mace's voice went on."-he'll be fine; he's just suffered from cracked ribs. He's bruised and beaten, but he's fine. Before you head over there, your presence is immediately requested here. Come as soon as you can."  
  
Qui-Gon was worried. Someone had hurt Obi-Wan.  
  
He raced to the Council Chambers, nearing knocking an apprentice over. "Sorry!" he called as he finally reached the turbolift. The chambers were on the top floor. He rode the lift alone, and when he exited he saw no one in the corridor leading towards the chambers. When he reached the desk, he was admitted immediately by the Padawan working it.  
  
Qui-Gon knelt in front of the Council and was told to rise. "Hello, Masters. Why did you wish to see me?"  
  
"Qui-Gon, your Padawan did a good job of tracking that bounty hunter," Mace said. "He has given us the information that he has left the planet."  
  
Qui-Gon wasn't sure if Mace was being sarcastic or sincere.  
  
"I'm not being sarcastic, Master Jinn. Obi-Wan knows what planet and where he is going."  
  
"If he all right?" Qui-Gon blurted. "What happened?"  
  
"Your Padawan followed the bounty hunter was engaged in a fight with him. The hunter ran and tried to follow him, but he was attacked by four other beings. He tells us they knocked him out and when he woke up he was in the bar you left him in. He doesn't think they wanted to kill him. He asked the bartender about the man, and the bartender told him where he usually lives.  
  
"And Obi-Wan found out where the hunter lives, he went there and found it deserted. He questioned the neighbors and he went to a docking bay they said he usually worked. Apparently he's been posing as a worker there. Obi- Wan found him and hid while the hunter spoke to his crew. That's what he heard. He would have snuck aboard but thought it would be better to come back."  
  
Mace peered at Qui-Gon. "You have a very capable Padawan, Qui-Gon. Be grateful."  
  
At that moment the only thing Qui-Gon was grateful for was that Obi-Wan was alive and breathing.  
  
"Idea, we have, Qui-Gon," Yoda said, speaking for the first time. "Dangerous, it is. In danger, Obi-Wan will be."  
  
"What is it?" Qui-Gon asked sharply.  
  
"We still have to discuss it with the Chancellor," Mace said. "We know how to catch the bounty hunter and how to find out who he is working for. We know how to spy on him."  
  
"How does this involve Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon demanded.  
  
"As a bounty hunter, Obi-Wan must pose," Yoda answered. "A bounty hunter, Obi-Wan will be."  
  
~*~  
  
When Obi-Wan awoke he was in a bed. He groaned, pain shooting throughout his body. He touched his abdomen and found layers of white bandages wrapped him. He gritted his teeth and remembered he was in the infirmary.  
  
He had taken an air taxi from the docking bay to the Temple. The taxi driver had been concerned over him; he was such a mess. He went directly to Council Chambers, and was granted access. He had explained to them what had happened.  
  
They had sent him to the infirmary and the healer, Veira Dirmond, had put him into a bacta tank.  
  
And now he was here. How grand.  
  
Obi-Wan sat up in the bed, letting out a small gasp of pain. The four men had done a job on him. He was bruised from the hunter's blaster across a face, and a thin angry red mark glared on his neck from the rope. The men, no doubt friends of the hunter's, had beaten him with their fists and with their feet. His ribs were most likely cracked or broken, and he had bruises everywhere on his body.  
  
/At least I didn't break anything/, Obi-Wan thought, sighing.  
  
It was at that moment Qui-Gon make his appearance, pulling back the curtain which trapped Obi-Wan. He smiled in relief when he saw his Padawan sitting up, but then frowned when he saw Obi-Wan's bruised face.  
  
"I TOLD you not to confront him!" Qui-Gon snarled as he sat in a chair besides Obi-Wan's bed.  
  
"Master!" Obi-Wan cried. "I didn't! He confronted me!"  
  
Qui-Gon looked at his Padawan and let out a long breath. "How are you injured?" he asked.  
  
"Not seriously, Master. I believe I cracked my ribs. Master Dirmond hasn't spoken to me. I just woke up."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded, looking down. He sighed deeply. Obi-Wan sat and waited. "You worried me," Qui-Gon said finally. "I don't believe you know how worried I was."  
  
"I'm sorry, Master."  
  
Suddenly tired, Qui-Gon leaned back in his chair. "No, it's okay, Obi-Wan. It's not your fault. I just worry."  
  
"Well, then, I thank you for your worry." Obi-Wan smiled at Qui-Gon.  
  
Very suddenly, Qui-Gon got serious.  
  
"I have something to tell you."  
  
~*~  
  
"You have to look it, Obi-Wan."  
  
"I am NOT cutting my braid, Master. I've spent the last seven years letting it grow! It's a symbol! I can't just let it go!"  
  
"Padawan, I know what it means. But if you're going to do this, you have to cut it."  
  
"Master, it's a symbol!" Obi-Wan knew he was complaining, but he held his Padawan braid protectively. He still couldn't believe he was going to do this. He still couldn't believe he would have to cut his braid.  
  
"Well, you don't have to cut it yet," Qui-Gon said, "but I'm telling you, you have to! It is for the sake of this mission, Obi-Wan. You can always grow it back. It isn't the end of the universe. Come now. The Council wants you to 'shop.'"  
  
"They want me to shop?" Obi-Wan muttered as he followed Qui-Gon out of their room. "All right, how about I shop for hair?"  
  
It was the day after Obi-Wan had his run in with the hunter. His ankle wasn't bothering him, and his ribs were taped. The bruises and line across his neck were still there, but for this they needed him black and blue. At least until tomorrow afternoon.  
  
"Do you even know what bounty hunters wear, Master?" Obi-Wan as they emerged from the Temple.  
  
Qui-Gon was in a bad mood, to say the least. He wasn't at all pleased that he was sending his Padawan into danger, but the Council commanded it. As they walked from the Temple he angrily looked up at the tower, for a moment wishing it would burst into flames. If the Council was no longer around, he reasoned, than Obi-Wan wouldn't have to go.  
  
Then he chastised himself, and looked away.  
  
"I'm not sure," Qui-Gon snorted. "You need armor and you need clothes. You need weapons."  
  
"Well, we're looking for a trip into the storage room of the Temple. Let's go to the BlackMar District."  
  
The BlackMar District was named the BlackMar District for good reason. It was bustle of activity for all things sold on the Black Market. There were shops for everything. Obi-Wan had only been there a few times, but he knew enough that they could find whatever they needed there within a few hours. Not only that, they may find someone to help them.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed. "You're correct. We have to get this over and done with, quick though. When we get there, hide your lightsaber and keep your hood up. We don't want anybody to see us."  
  
"All right, Master, let's get an air taxi."  
  
It took them under thirty minutes to reach the district. It was on a lower level of Coruscant in an area which also thrived with illegal racing and gambling. Their hoods up, they entered the district and found themselves surrounded with booths and shops.  
  
"We'll get the weapons first," Qui-Gon said uneasily as they walked through the crowded street. "Keep your face down."  
  
Obi-Wan couldn't understand why his Master was being so cautious, but he kept silent as Qui-Gon led into to a booth selling blasters.  
  
"Hey," said the man behind the table. He was a tall, scrawny man with a five o' clock shadow. "I got blasters of all kinds." He voice was scratchy.  
  
"I'm looking for a state of the art blaster," Qui-Gon said gruffly. "I want the most powerful one you have. It's for my companion here." He motioned to Obi-Wan.  
  
The man scratched his chin. "I see." He disappeared beneath the table and they heard some noises. He popped up a second later holding a blaster the size of a small animal.  
  
"Do you have something /smaller?/" Qui-Gon asked in annoyance. "Something that will fit into the palm of a hand?"  
  
The man snorted, replaced the weapon, and opened a box on another table. "These are the most powerful weapons I have. Take your pick." He offered the box to them. It was filled to the brim with small, pistol-like blasters.  
  
Obi-Wan selected four, and Qui-Gon paid.  
  
"Have a GREAT day!" the man called.  
  
"That wasn't too bad," Obi-Wan commented as they went over to another stand which carried blades.  
  
"Not bad at all," Qui-Gon said sourly.  
  
~*~ 


	2. Part Three to Five

THE HARDEST PART IS LETTING GO  
  
Author: KrystalBlaze  
  
Title: The Hardest Part is Letting Go  
  
Age: 21  
  
Summary: Senators and Ambassadors are being murdered without a cause. It has to be a bounty hunter. Desperate, the Supreme Chancellor appeals to the Jedi for help. The Jedi devise a plan: one of them must infiltrate the ranks of the bounty hunters. The Jedi turns out to be Obi-Wan.  
  
/ / = italics  
  
PART THREE  
  
DEPARTURE  
  
"You understand what you must do, Obi-Wan? You understand that you cannot contact Qui-Gon? You understand we do not know how long this will take?"  
  
"Yes, Master, I understand it. I will find the identity of this bounty hunter and the cause for his killing. I can do this, Master Windu."  
  
"We have much faith in you, Obi-Wan," Adi Gallia said. "But we're throwing you somewhere no one has been."  
  
"I will be fine, Masters. I'll do this to the best of what I can."  
  
"We have no doubt of it," Mace said, giving a rare smile. "Qui-Gon has the credits. It is enough. After you meet with Chancellor Valorum, everything is up to you."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded.  
  
"May the Force be with you, young Kenobi," Yoda said gravely. "Be safe."  
  
"I will, Master Yoda. May the Force be with you."  
  
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed, then left the Council Chambers. They were silent as they rode the lift down.  
  
"Master, I want to thank you."  
  
Qui-Gon turned his head and peered at his apprentice. "For what, Padawan?"  
  
"Thank you for trusting me with this. It's a real honor."  
  
Qui-Gon allowed himself to smile. "You have been an ideal apprentice, Obi- Wan. I couldn't ask for a better Padawan. You've grown so much in the last seven years."  
  
"Yes, you're right. I have grown taller." Obi-Wan smirked.  
  
They both laughed.  
  
"Not only that, Obi-Wan. You're loyal and you're dedicated."  
  
A warm feeling spread through Obi-Wan's heart. It felt so good to hear Qui- Gon say that.  
  
"Thank you, Master."  
  
~*~  
  
Supreme Chancellor Valorum eyed Obi-Wan with what he perceived as surprise. Obi-Wan didn't find that interesting. He was, after all, very young and he saw the edginess in which the Chancellor walked. /He thinks I'm inexperienced,/ Obi-Wan thought. /I don't blame him./  
  
"It is an honor to finally meet you, Supreme Chancellor," Obi-Wan said after a time.  
  
"And it is to meet you, Padawan Kenobi," Valorum said, taking a seat. He gave Obi-Wan a long, measured look. "You know what you have to do. I'm not sure what I can tell you except I am putting all my faith in you. You carry my hopes and the hopes of all the politicians fearing for their lives. The only thing I can tell you is that I pray you'll live up to what I've put you to."  
  
"Supreme Chancellor," Obi-Wan said with ease," I will not let you down."  
  
"Then I have your word," Valorum said. "Good luck."  
  
~*~  
  
"I thought he would say more, Master."  
  
"There's nothing to say, Obi-Wan. It's up to you now."  
  
Obi-Wan gave another glance towards the Senate Building as they walked away. "I don't want to let him down."  
  
"You won't," Qui-Gon said sharply.  
  
They were headed towards a docking bay.  
  
"You understand you can contact me if something happens? I know the Council said not to, but if you are captured or in anyway feel you're in danger, contact me."  
  
Obi-Wan gave Qui-Gon a side glance. "I don't want to go against the Council, Master."  
  
"I'm not afraid to," Qui-Gon said fiercely. "I'm responsible for your life, not the Council."  
  
"Well, then, thank you for caring," Obi-Wan said, smiling as they reached the docking bay. The pack settled on his back suddenly became a lot heavier. "We have to make this convincing," he said uneasily.  
  
"We will," Qui-Gon assured him, falling in a bad mood at once.  
  
"All right then." Obi-Wan strolled forward on the bay. "I will not, Master!"  
  
Qui-Gon looked around quickly. "Keep your voice down, Obi-Wan!"  
  
"I will not, Master! This is the life I've always wanted. Always! How can you cut me loose without knighting me? I've served you in every way possible!"  
  
"It doesn't matter," Qui-Gon hissed. "The anger is too great inside you. I'll give you enough to start a new life, but after that all contact with the Jedi is gone!  
  
"Especially after that show yesterday! I've never felt so much anger!"  
  
"I can't believe you!" Obi-Wan strained with the pack. "I just cannot believe you're letting me go!"  
  
"It's not that hard, believe me!" Qui-Gon said, throwing the packs of credits at Obi-Wan's feet.  
  
"You're going to be sorry!" Obi-Wan screamed. People were staring. "I swear, I'm going to hurt you in a way you've never been hurt!"  
  
"Go ahead and try, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Qui-Gon sneered. "Go ahead and try." He suddenly came in close to Obi-Wan, grabbing his shoulders and shaking the younger man. He put his face close to the man's ear. "Be careful," he whispered "Be careful!"  
  
With that he pushed him away and turned his back.  
  
"You wait, Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan shouted after him. "You just wait!"  
  
With that, the angry man picked up the credits, shoved them in his pockets, and stalked towards a ship.  
  
~*~  
  
PART FOUR  
  
UPROAR  
  
By the time Qui-Gon returned to the Temple, it was in a quiet sort of uproar. He was heading towards his room when the first shocked student attacked him. It was Bant Eerin, Obi-Wan's best friend since long ago. Her Mon Calamari face was puzzled and sad, but also tinted with anger.  
  
"Master Jinn," she said, giving him a small bow," I don't mean to intrude, but tell me, is it true that you. is it true that you set Obi-Wan free?"  
  
Qui-Gon regarded her with a quiet look of surprise. "Where did you learn that information?" he asked.  
  
"Master Jinn, there's gossip in the halls. I know I shouldn't ask and believe it, but Obi-Wan's my friend." She just then seemed to notice Obi- Wan wasn't around. She narrowed her eyes. "Please Master, did you?"  
  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply. "You understand, Bant, that as his Master I had to do what I thought best. He could no longer learn anymore from me, yet he. I'm not trying to sound sardonic here, Padawan Eerin, but he danced with the Dark Side. I couldn't teach him any longer under that and I could let another Master have him. He was dangerous, Bant. You understand."  
  
At that Bant reeled back. She looked at Qui-Gon through angry silts. "I do not understand, Master Jinn. Obi-Wan would never hurt anyone. You know that, Master Jinn. I know that. I cannot believe you set him free."  
  
It was Qui-Gon's turn to be angry. For real. "Watch yourself, Padawan."  
  
Bant blinked and seemed to remember who she was talking to. She gave a bow to the point where she almost touched the floor. "I apologize, Master Jinn. Excuse me." She turned and stalked down the hall. Qui-Gon watched the eighteen-year-old girl until she was out of sight.  
  
"This is harder than I thought," Qui-Gon said, unlocking his room and going inside.  
  
He saw the comm unit blinking. Sighing, he pressed the button.  
  
"Master Jinn," said a hurried voice," this is Padawan Offee. I just wanted to know if it's true that Obi-Wan-"  
  
He deleted the message and another one came one.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you, Master Jinn, but this is Padawan Tachi and I wondering if Obi-Wan-"  
  
He deleted the message.  
  
"Master Jinn! Is Obi-Wan there? This is Padawan Reeft! Is it-"  
  
He deleted that one and listened to three other messages requiring information on "Padawan Kenobi's Status." He made a clicking sound with his tongue and punched in the numbers to the Council Chambers. He waited as he was connected impatiently.  
  
"Master Yoda," he said," every Padawan in the Temple is inquiring about Obi- Wan's "status." Is there anyway you can send around some kind of announcement?"  
  
"You need to let this fire fade, Qui-Gon," Mace Windu said. "Of course there will be some aftershock. Go ahead and explain how we told you to. It is fine how it is. If we send something around, it might draw suspicion. The key to Obi-Wan's success is secrecy."  
  
"Yes, Mace," Qui-Gon sighed. He replaced the comm unit.  
  
The moment he turned his back he heard a ringing noise. He threw a look to the comm unit.  
  
It was blinking.  
  
~*~  
  
Obi-Wan was going to hyperventilate. He held the dagger above his braid, breathing hard. His face in the mirror was pale and tired. He lowered his eyes to the sink, then looked to the dagger. /Just one quick swipe./ he thought.  
  
He couldn't do it.  
  
He chastised himself. Qui-Gon had told him to cut the braid. He needed to look the part. He needed to show that he was forever cut away from the Jedi. He had to show he showed no remorse for leaving them. He had to, he had to! The mission depended on it.  
  
But it was so hard! He didn't want to cut the braid. That much was obvious, but it burned inside him like a coal. He gritted his teeth, pressing the dagger a little further into his braid, but not cutting it. If he cut it he would be cutting a hole through his heart.  
  
His quarters were small, but that didn't bother him. He had a 'fresher, and he supposed that was what really mattered. The transport wasn't very luxurious, but it would deliver him to Nutu, where the bounty hunter was heading.  
  
From the information he had gathered, Nutu was a prime world for bounty hunters. Apparently there was a district there with trimmed with them. It a world within a world. Bounty hunters lived there and trained there under other's guidance. He figured if there was any place for the hunter to go, he would go there, where he thought he would safe.  
  
Obi-Wan was looking to pose as a hunter in response to Qui-Gon's decision to release him. After all, what better way to strike back at his hated Master than by doing so with what the Master had released him for? He thought it best to waltz in like he owned the district. He would soon get a lesson from more experienced hunters and was bound to stir up some trouble once they learned he had been a Jedi.  
  
Which brought him back to his predicament. Save the mission or lose the braid. He didn't like the deal at all.  
  
Obi-Wan slammed the dagger on the counter and stormed out of the 'fresher. He went to the sleep-couch and sat on it, letting his head fall into his hands. He sucked in a breath and kept his gaze focused on the rust colored floor.  
  
/Just do it/, he told himself angrily.  
  
But of course he couldn't.  
  
/He ordered you to,/ he told himself.  
  
And with that he went skidding back into the 'fresher and chopped the braid off.  
  
~*~  
  
As Obi-Wan's feet touched the ground of Nutu's capital city, Baith. He immediately sensed a chill of uneasiness stalk through him. He didn't believe in superstition, but he had learned from Qui-Gon to trust his instincts and go on what he believed. He sighed, swung his pack over his shoulder, and started off, pushing his way through a small thong of people as they milled about the port.  
  
Nutu was mostly a black market world and had a dense population living in slums. Obi-Wan wasn't surprised as he passed the homeless, and children ran around him, barefoot, asking for money. Obi-Wan ignored them, although he hated that the government did little to help the people.  
  
The world was made up of thousands of different kinds of species. Obi-Wan passed a Bith who growled at him. He saw many Humans walking around in tattered clothing. He looked up from the pavement to the high tower towering over him. Beyond that he saw many other high towers. They were apartment buildings meant for the true born citizens of Nutu, even though there weren't many of them around anymore.  
  
Obi-Wan knew he couldn't ask for directions. It would make him suspicious. He stopped in front of what he hoped was a map. He found the Bound District easily. It was the largest one, and as he read the excerpt underneath, his heart fell.  
  
A person entering the district needed permission from the ruler of Nutu, who resided in Baith. When Obi-Wan had asked Jacinda Nu, the Temple Archivist, about Nutu, she had remarked the ruler was caught up in black market deals and cared only about making himself rich. Obi-Wan imagined that the Bound District was profitable, since the hunters probably paid Nutu's ruler a fee every month or so.  
  
Obi-Wan took directions from the map to the King's office. It was two blocks away and hardly looked like anything a King would use. He smiled ruefully. Even the King couldn't make himself rich enough to afford a palace.  
  
There was a front desk in the building and the Human at the desk was female. She smiled at him disdainfully. "How may I help you?" she asked.  
  
"I request an audience with the King, please," he said humbly.  
  
She gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry, the King isn't seeing anyone now, but you have to have an appointment, sorry."  
  
"He's not seeing anyone?"  
  
"I just said that," the female said in a sing-song voice.  
  
Obi-Wan glanced around and saw no one. "You will let me see the King," he said, waving his hand.  
  
"Yes, I'll take you to see the King," the female responded. "This way."  
  
Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile a little at the dazed look on her face. She led him down a hall which was packed with fans. His cloak billowed around him. "Why all the fans?" he asked.  
  
"His Majesty much enjoys air when he walks down the halls," she replied nicely as he took him to a door.  
  
"You will say I had an appointment," the Jedi said.  
  
"I will tell the King you had an appointment," the female said and smiled charmingly as she opened the door.  
  
The room was nothing more than a bedroom, and it wasn't very large. There was a sleep-couch and desk, a bookcase and table, but it wasn't what Obi- Wan expected, although the rich carpet did make up for some of that. At the desk was a middle-aged human male with raven colored hair tinted with white. Obi-Wan couldn't see anymore of his face.  
  
"Your Majesty, you have an appointment," she said humbly.  
  
"Dedira! You said I wouldn't have an appointment today. I'm busy."  
  
"But he does have one, sir!" Dedira smiled at Obi-Wan.  
  
The King sighed. He turned in his chair and surveyed Obi-Wan with distaste. Obi-Wan gave an uneasy smile.  
  
"Fine, fine. Leave us, Dedira."  
  
"Yes, King Myguel." She backed out of the room and the King stood up.  
  
"Sit," he said, motioning the Jedi into a chair at the table. The King sat opposite him. "What is your name and what do you want?"  
  
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, sir," Obi-Wan said neutrally. "I wish to enter the Bound District."  
  
The King regarded him with surprise. "You want permission?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Obi-Wan said.  
  
"You don't seem like a hunter," Myguel said.  
  
"Sir, something terrible happened to me. I need revenge."  
  
"And bounty hunting is the way to get it?"  
  
"He hated bounty hunters."  
  
"I see."  
  
Obi-Wan hadn't expected a King who wasn't full of himself. He didn't seem obsessed with money. He seemed normal. He didn't seem like a King.  
  
"You understand the payments you must give me."  
  
"I do not, sir."  
  
"Right now," Myguel said, "you will pay me fifty credits for two months. After the two months you will return here every month to pay me another fifty credits. You will get the money from whatever hit you have; I honestly don't care how you get it. With the fifty you pay me now you'll get a room in a sleeping lodge for a month. If you wish to keep that room for the time you spend there after the first month you must pay me twenty credits and the lodge ten. You understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I understand." It was a rotten deal, but yes, he understood.  
  
"Well, then, good. You're willing to pay?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I am." He pulled out the wad of credits and handed him fifty.  
  
Obi-Wan suddenly knew the Master Nu had been right. Myguel practically glowed as his hand touched the bills. His eyes sparkled and he looked at Obi-Wan through fevered ones. He smiled happily and tucked the bills away.  
  
Myguel went to his desk and took out two sheets. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, correct?"  
  
"Correct, sir."  
  
He filled the forms out and handed them to the Jedi. "Give this one to the guard at the entrance. Give this one to the lodger. Good? Good. Now leave."  
  
Obi-Wan was at the door when Myguel's voice filled his ears again.  
  
"And just to let you know, don't think about slipping away. It won't work. And by the way, I know you're Jedi. Your story is half way across the galaxy now."  
  
Obi-Wan just stared at the King.  
  
"You must know a planet such as mine must keep track of things like this," he said with a sly smile.  
  
Obi-Wan turned and started for the Bound District.  
  
~*~  
  
PART FIVE  
  
THE QUALITY OF LIFE  
  
After Obi-Wan presented the slip of paper to the guards at the front gate, he entered the Bound District.  
  
He was amazed to see the quality of life. It was a breath of fresh air from the rest of Nutu, although it was tainted with a fear and darkness that unnerved him. He strode through the street, looking at the buildings were clustered the sidewalk. He watched speeders drive past him as he walked. He wasn't surprised to see they were very expensive models.  
  
He watched the faces of the people he passed. Most of them were male humans or resembled male humans. Most of them weren't shaven and were rough housing with the people they were walking with. Some walked along quietly, keeping their faces down and minding their own business. The street wasn't very crowded, but it was noisy.  
  
He checked the name on the slip of paper. The name of the lodge was /The Lucas/. He made a face. It was very much out of the times, almost as out of the times as was the name George. He shrugged it off. It wasn't his job to question names. He had something much more important to do, and he began skimming the buildings for the lodge.  
  
He turned down a street and saw it. Once he was inside, he was shocked to see that it was very lavish and looked expensive. It was two stories and the lobby was deserted. He went to the front desk where a woman was standing. She looked at him and her look of pain and suffering rocked him to the core. He couldn't imagine why she was here; she didn't give the presence of a hunter.  
  
"Hi," he said in a friendly way.  
  
She wouldn't meet his eyes. "Hello."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
She closed her eyes, as if in pain. "Tycri Nujarbi."  
  
He smiled at her gently and put the paper on the desk. "What are you doing here?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I work here, sir," she said, taking the paper with trembling hands. She looked to her computer and typed something in. His name, he guessed. "Thank you, Mr. Kenobi. Here is your key. Your room is B121."  
  
"Thank you." As much as it bothered him, he couldn't press her. He wanted to help her. He sensed fear and devastation from here, but there was nothing he could do and he tried to shrug it off. Something held him back, and he asked her one more time, "what are you doing here?"  
  
She met his eyes. "It is my duty."  
  
He nodded. He knew a lot about duty.  
  
"Thank you," he said again, and went towards the turbo-lift. He had a feeling. She would mean something later. Something much later. 


	3. Part Six

THE HARDEST PART IS LETTING GO  
  
Author's Notes: Thank you guys so much for the reviews thus far: SilverDragon, BecJedi. KellBell, K-Rock and Essie Aster. It means so much to me. Also, anything like this: It was.a miracle. There's supposed to be three dots between the was and a. My computer works weird.  
  
/ / =italics  
  
PART SIX  
  
DEAL  
  
Obi-Wan changed in his room. He was shocked at the lavishness he received. The maids and cook had treated him like a god. He had gotten lost taking to turbo-lift to the floor, and he had barely asked a woman for help when cooks and maids were surrounding him, directing him towards his room. They did it happily, as if it was their life's purpose only to serve.  
  
/Maybe it is/. Obi-Wan thought as he removed his tunics and folded them neatly. He placed them in his bag and changed into a loose fitting gray tunic and black pants. He pulled his cloak on and hid his lightsaber in it. He gave himself a look in the mirror, and then set out of his room, barely five minutes after he had gotten in it.  
  
He had to survey the life around him. It was getting dark. He figured it was time to start putting his impression on. He had to stir up trouble. He needed to get noticed. He thought about how the King had known he was a Jedi. For his sake and the sake of the mission, he hoped everyone knew the story. Getting it spread might take a while, and he didn't want to spend a lot of time getting noticed.  
  
As he stepped out of the lodge, he saw the sign above a bar across the street flicker to life. It was a dull pink neon and read, "The Bar." He snorted as he crossed the street. How very, very original.  
  
The bar wasn't too crowded, but the night was young. He sucked in the air, and then swaggered in, exaggerating his walk, and practically dancing around the tables to get to the bar. He frisked past the tables, making sure the few people there noticed him. By the time he sat down at the bar, all the customers were staring at him strangely. He could see he had made at least one person mad, and he smiled inside.  
  
"Hey!" he hollered, hiding his accent. He couldn't see the bartender anywhere, and only three other beings were at the bar. They didn't have drinks, so he figured the bartender was late or the bar had just opened, although he doubted that. Most bars stayed open all day, but then again, he was new on this world. "Can I get some service out here?"  
  
"You wait your turn," a rough voice said from his side. He looked and saw a man staring at him. "You wait like us."  
  
"Well, you see I would," Obi-Wan said arrogantly, playing into the part, "but you see the 'tender ain't out here. If the 'tender ain't out here, I got a right to do what I see best. And callin' him is best."  
  
At that point the bartender did show up. As Obi-Wan had predicted, the tender came straight to him. He smiled cockily at the men who were there before him. "Well, thank you, sir. I'd like some Andoan Wine, please."  
  
The bartender got his drink. "You pay now?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," Obi-Wan said, slapping the credits on the counter. He smiled at the dirty looks he was receiving. He knew he was baiting them, but they didn't bite. He frowned inwardly. He wanted to cause a scene. If he was in a fight, he was fairly certain he could win. Most boys weren't to keen to fighting a Jedi, even a renegade one.  
  
Soon the men were talking amongst themselves and Obi-Wan was left alone. He bit his tongue. He needed people to notice him. He would waste the time searching bar after bar for the bounty hunter if he had to, but he knew it would be easier to rouse him with a large fight. Somehow he knew the hunter would come to him.  
  
He had been wondering for a long time how he had known the hunter was in the bar. He had been wondering how he had known it had been the hunter, for that matter. It had been bugging him, but he didn't want to voice it to Qui- Gon. He knew it was unusual for a Jedi to have such a big feeling, and it kept coming back to him.  
  
Obi-Wan was just going into deep thought about it when he heard a voice yell, "get down!"  
  
~*~  
  
The hunter watched the man through the window of the bar. He didn't want to go in yet. He just wanted to watch to young man. He noted the striking eyes and the ginger hair. The man was strong and agile; you could tell that just by looking at him. He noted the sharp features and messy way his hair was cut. The braid was no longer present.  
  
He knew the man could fight. He bored the bandages around his middle, even almost a week later. He pressed a hand against the glass. He was angry. Angrier then he had been in a long time. He couldn't believe a Jedi, a stupid Jedi, could bring him close to the edge. Yes, they had both been injured, but the hunter had no doubt in a fair fight the Jedi would win. It was just the way of thing.  
  
What made him seething was that he knew the man.  
  
/Oh, you are mine/, the hunter thought. He took out the thermal detonator and he stepped into the bar.  
  
"Get down!" he shouted.  
  
~*~  
  
Obi-Wan followed his instincts and shot to the ground, diving under the bar. His fingers tightened around his lightsaber. He looked to the door and saw him. He saw him. He saw the bounty hunter.  
  
Some other hunters were still up, all ready searching for their weapons.  
  
"You don't really want to do that, do you?" the hunter asked manically, showing them the detonator. Obi-Wan felt a wave of uneasiness run through him. He knew enough to know this was unusual. Oh well. At least he had found the hunter.  
  
"I just want one person," the hunter said. Obi-Wan's stomach did a roll. The hunter's eyes scanned the bar.  
  
"We don't want trouble," the bartender said.  
  
"Well, I don't either," the hunter sneered. "I just want the Jedi."  
  
Obi-Wan knew it was useless to hide, and he stepped to his feet. "I'm right here," he said.  
  
The hunter looked at him with rage. "Good." He pocketed the detonator and motioned the Jedi to follow him. Obi-Wan did so without question. He saw the looks the people were giving him and he clicked his tongue. So now everyone knew. Good.  
  
The second Obi-Wan stepped out of the bar a fist knocked him to the ground.  
  
~*~  
  
The hunter smiled down at Obi-Wan, his smile brightened by the neon lights. He withdrew his knife, already advancing as Obi-Wan rolled to his feet, blood trailing his cut lip. The hunter's green eyes were tightened around the corners, giving him a pinched look that could be only described as a sneer.  
  
"Wait," Obi-Wan said, holding his arms out in front of him like a shield. "Just hold on for a second, okay?"  
  
"You tried to kill me," the hunter said.  
  
"I just wanted to talk," Obi-Wan responded. "If it makes you feel any better, you almost killed me."  
  
The hunter just looked at him closely. "Your name isn't Xancar."  
  
"No," Obi-Wan said.  
  
"And your accent is different now," the hunter said.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "I want something new."  
  
"I don't understand," the hunter said, holding his knife out in front of him.  
  
"I am no longer a Jedi," he said humbly.  
  
The hunter looked at him, as if he were crazed. "You left?"  
  
Obi-Wan forced anger into his facial expression and voice. "He cut me loose. He set me free."  
  
"Who?" the hunter said, his curiosity overrunning his need to kill the Jedi.  
  
"My Master," Obi-Wan replied. "You don't know the Jedi Order-"  
  
"Oh, I know," the hunter said, his anger flaming.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at him, confused, but went on. "He hates bounty hunters. He hates their guts. He believes I failed him because of them. because of you. I have to hurt him. I have to make him regret what he did."  
  
The hunter withdrew his knife, flipped it, and replaced it in its sheath. He cocked an eyebrow at the Jedi. or former Jedi, if he wasn't lying. The hunter peered closely into Obi-Wan blue/gray eyes, and seemed for a moment to search him. He closed his eyes, thought for a good moment, and then said, "I believe you."  
  
Obi-Wan composed himself, then nodded. "I need help."  
  
The hunter smiled at him, his smile manic. "You want me to help you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And why would you do that?"  
  
"Because I /hate/ the Jedi Order! Because I want to make them suffer like they've made ms suffer! I want them to pay for every grievance against me they committed! I don't deserve this!"  
  
The hunter cocked an eyebrow. "And how is that my problem?"  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes flashed quickly. The hunter saw it, and to himself, he smiled.  
  
"I know things," Obi-Wan said. "I know about the Jedi. I know who you are. I know that you're the hunter everyone is after. I can help you. I know things. I know a lot of things."  
  
The hunter laughed. "Sure you do. You know enough to come here, hide your accent, adopt a different personality, and then get caught?"  
  
The Jedi's eyes flared in anger. He took a step towards the hunter, thought better of it, and withdrew.  
  
Again the hunter laughed. "And I thought you knew better than that," he sneered.  
  
"I need you," Obi-Wan said.  
  
The hunter sighed. "You know who I am."  
  
"That's why I need you. The Chancellor is dead after you. He wants you dead. That's why I need you to help me. I was entrusted. I can throw it in their faces!"  
  
"How so?" the hunter asked.  
  
Obi-Wan held a hand up to his bleeding lip. He held it in front of the hunter, showing the blood. "I'm going to hurt them. I'm going to make them bleed. I'm going to kill the Chancellor."  
  
As the words left Obi-Wan's mouth, the hunter's eyes opened in shock. He stared at the young man in front of him, startled at the fact a Jedi wanted to assassinate the most powerful man in the galaxy. And it wasn't just any Jedi- it was Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan.  
  
The hunter knew Qui-Gon well.  
  
"You want to kill him? What would that prove?"  
  
Obi-Wan decided to be blunt. "I think you're more intelligent than you're letting on. You know how it will look when a renegade Jedi kills the Chancellor. Chaos. Everyone in the Republic will hate the Jedi. The citizens.if they can't trust the Jedi, who can they trust?"  
  
The hunter nodded, contemplating what the Jedi has said. "Why do you need me?"  
  
Obi-Wan gave out a sarcastic laugh. "You understand I could kill the Chancellor easily without you. It wouldn't be all too hard. I could walk right into his office, saying I'm on Jedi business and he would believe me. I could get him right there. The problem is, that wouldn't prove anything to my Master. He would just think, well, there goes my old Padawan, he's fallen to the Dark Side, this is just like him.  
  
"Oh, no, I can't have that. That doesn't make it personal. I want it to be personal. If I kill him as a bounty hunter, that'll knock him off the ride. Oh my, will that shake his world. I want to shake him. I want him to be ashamed. He let me go."  
  
The hunter nodded slightly. He understood the Jedi's need. He understood it so, so well.  
  
"So you want to use me to get back at Qui-Gon? You want your performance flawless?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "I want to be a bounty hunter. I want to become one."  
  
The older man stared at Obi-Wan. He seemed completely sincere. He looked into the bar. People had recovered from the "attack" and were talking, staring out at them. He smiled at them cockily. Was he ready for a student? Did he even want one?  
  
The words the young former Jedi spoke struck a cord in his heart. He couldn't deny that at all.  
  
"You bail on me and I'll kill you," the hunter said.  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"Are you staying at the lodge?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll be at your room tomorrow."  
  
"The number is-"  
  
"I'll get it, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Talk to no one. Go back to the lodge now."  
  
"Thank you." He was visibly relieved, although something from the conversation was beginning to nag him. Something the hunter had said. "Thank you. May I ask your name?"  
  
The hunter raised and eyebrow at the man. It was a reasonable question.  
  
"Shane Warcal." He turned and began to leave, then stopped, turned, and laughed. "You put some ice on that lip; Qui-Gon's lost Padawan."  
  
As he was walking, Obi-Wan realized what it was.  
  
He had never said Qui-Gon was his Master.  
  
~*~ 


End file.
